Firing pin and breech bolt safety



June 28, 1960 A. EMANUEL 2,942,369

. FIRING PIN AND BREECH BOLT SAFETY Filed Aug. 28, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS zigwzzw gzi June 28, 1960 A. EMANUEL 2,942,369

FIRING PIN AND BREECH BOLT SAFETY Filed Aug. 28, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 VENTOR AL EMANUEL ATTORNE S Unite tes This invention relates to safety mechanisms for semiautomatic hammerless firearms and, more particularly, to a safety mechanism which is adapted to lock the firing pin of such a firearm to reduce the risk of accidental firing but which also can be automatically disengaged to unlock the firing pin simply by pulling the trigger.

Conventional safety mechanisms for semi-automatic hammerless firearms generally include some form of manually operated button or other exterior element by means of which a locking member may be selectively engaged with the trigger, sear mechanism, firing pin, or breach bolt of the weapon to lock the weapon and preventaccidental firing. In the interest of safety it is axiomatic that such safety mechanisms always be engaged when the firearm is not actually in use and particularly when it is cocked, because the searmechanism alone cannot be depended upon to hold the firing pin if the firearm is subjected to even minor shock. As a consequence of these precautions, however, it is necessary that prior to firing all safety mechanisms be individuallymanually disengaged. 'Not only is it impossible to fire the weapon before the safetys are disengaged, but it is also impossible for the user to even aim the weapon at the,

user must either carry the weapon with all safetys disengaged and thereby expose himself to possible injury from accidental firing or he must take the time to manually release the safetys prior to firing the weapon. Either alternative can clearly be extremely hazardous when the firearm is carried about on the person and must be used quickly in self-defense.

It is a major purpose of the present invention, therefore, to provide a novel safety device which can securely lock the firing pin of a semi-automatic hammerless firearm but which can be quickly and automatically-disengaged from the firing pin to permit the Weapon to be fired simply by pulling the trigger. A firearm employing the contemplated safety mechanism is quite safe with the safety in engaged position and will not accidentally fire if inadvertently dropped or'otherwise jarred. When the user desires to fire the weapon, he simply aims and pulls the trigger and, as he does.so, the safety disengages to unlock the firing pin and by additional displacement of the trigger. the weapon is fired. Conventional safety mechanisms, on the other hand, must be manually disengaged in a somewhat time-consuming operation before with the conven- The contemplated safety mechanism is intended for use in a semi-automatic hammerless firearm having a slidably mounted firing pin spring-urged forwardly to firing position and also having a trigger-actuated sear mechanism adapted to hold the firing pin in a rearward cocked position and to selectively release it upon displacement of the trigger to fire the pistol. The safety mechanism comprises a disengageable locking member adapted to lock the firing pin in rearward cocked position. This locking member is spring-urged into continuous engagement with a cam surface on the trigger which is configured to effect displacement of the locking member when the trigger is displaced thereby unlocking the firing pin before the sear mechanism releases 'the firing pin to fire the firearm.

It is a characteristic of this mechanism that the 'ele-' ments are simply and economically designed to be readily employed with but slight variation ineither pistols or rifles of the semi-automatic hammerless type. In addition to this versatility, the mechanism permits a gun to be carried safely yet fired quickly as noted previously. Moreover, if desired other safety mechanisms may also be designed into any given firearm along with the. contemplated safety mechanism to lock it in the ordinary manner.

Preferred embodiments of a safety mechanism according to, the present invention are described hereinbelow With reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a schematic elevation partly broken away illustrating one embodiment of the contemplated safety mechanism engaging the firing pin and breech bolt of the semi-automatic hammerless pistol in which it is employed; Fig. 2 is a schematic elevation partly broken away of the same firearm with the trigger slightly displaced and the safety mechanism disengaged from the firing pin and breechbolt;

Fig. 3 is a schematic sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a schematic elevation in more detail and partly in section of the safety mechanism of Fig. 1 shown with the breech stop element disengaged from the breechbolt;

Fig. 5 is a similar elevation of an alternate embodiment of the safety mechanism shown before the trigger is pulled; and

. Fig. 6 is the elevation of Fig. 5 after the trigger is initially pulled but before the Weapon has fired.

For purposes of example, the safety mechanism of the invention is shown employed in a conventional semiautomatic hammerless pistol. It includes a frame 10 to which is attached a barrel 11 and a grip 12. In the rearward portion of the barrel 11 is a chamber 13 into which cartridges 14 may be automatically inserted in the usual manner from a magazine 15 in the handle of the pistol. Slidably mounted upon the frame 10 is a breechbolt 17 and within the breechbolt is a slidable firing pin 18. The firing pin 18 is urged forwardly to the left by the firing pin spring '19 thus causing a striker 20'on the forwardfend of the firing pin to be urgedtoward the chamber 13. By means of any recoil spring the breechbolt 17 is kept closed in the firing position as shown in Figs. l and 2. The firing pin 18 includes an integral depending catch portion 21. v

A trigger 25 is also slidably mounted in the frame 10 to be manually displaced rearwardly to the right against the force of a trigger spring 26 which urges the trigger forwardly to the left. cludes a separated central portion 27 through which ex} tends the magazine 15 containing the cartridges 14 to be fed into the chamber 13. Extending rearwardly from the trigger 25 is a trip portion 28 adapted-to actuate a scar As seen in'Fig. 3, the trigger 25in 3 mechanism (greatly simplified in the drawing) comprising a scar bar 30, a scar pivot 31 and a scar stop 32 each pivotally mounted about its own central axis. The sear stop 32 is adapted to engage a scar catch 33 on the catch portion 21 of the firing pin.

When a magazine is inserted in the pistol, the position of the firing pin 18 is such that the tip of the striker 20' is inserted into the chamber 13. By manually displacing the breech bolt 17 rearwardly against the force of the breech spring and then returning it to the forward position illustrated in Fig. 1, the first cartridge in the magazinc is carried into the chamber 13 and the firing pin 18 is held in its rearward cocked position by the engagement of the sear stop 32 with the sear catch 33 on the firing pin.

To fire the pistol, the trigger 25 is displaced manually to the right such that the trip portion 28 of the trigger 25 engages the sear bar 30 as seen in Fig. 2. Further displacement of the trigger causes the sear pivot 31 to be rotated counterclockwise thereby pivoting the sear stop 32 until it disengages from the sear catch 33. The firing pin is then urged forward by the firing pin spring 19 and the striker 20 hits the cartridge in the chamber 13 causing it to fire. The expanding gases in thechambcr kick the slidably mounted breech bolt 17 rearwardly against its spring and the breech bolt carries the firing pin 18 rearwardly along with it. The breech bolt comes forward immediately after discharging the spent shell and carries a new cartridge from the magazine into the chamber. By means of any conventional disconnector, the sear stop 32 is disengaged from the sear pivot 31 so that the stop is quickly spring-urged to normal position to catch the firing pin as it is kicked backward by the breech bolt. This prevents fully automatic firing and readies the firing pin in cocked position for the next shot.

Any number of the usual safety mechanisms may be included in a pistol of this basic design in addition to that contemplated by the invention and described hereinbelow. One of such conventional safety mechanisms is illustrated as a split cross-bolt 35 pivotally mounted in both the frame and in one of either of the halfooves 36 and 37 in the trigger 25 to permit the trigger tobe locked in either the forward position shown in Fig. 1 or the rearward position shown in Fig. 2.

The safety mechanism contemplated by the present invention includes a locking member 40 mounted to slide vertically in a pair of grooves 41 (see Fig. 3) in the inside walls of the frame 10. The locking member 40 is adapted to be displaced vertically in these grooves against the force of a pair of locking member compression springs 42 abutting both the frame 10 and the locking member 40. At the upper end of the locking member 40 is an integral stop element 43 while at the lower end, beneath the pair of compression springs 42, is a riding surface 44 adapted to span the separated central portion 27 of the trigger 25. The pairs of compression springs 42 urge the locking member 40 downwardly in the grooves 41 into continuous engagement with the trigger 25 onto a cam surface consisting of a plateau 47, a drop-off 48, and a depression 49.

The locking member 40 includes a separate breech bolt stop element 50 which also slides vertically in the grooves 41 on the inside wall of the frame 10.- A button 51 extends from the breech stop element 50 to the exterior of the frame 10 through a slot in the wall of the frame 10 so as to be readily accessible to the thumb of a righthanded user. A tension spring 52 is adapted to urge the breech stop element 50 upwardly against the locking member 40 so that the upper end of the breech stop element 50 engages a breech catch 53 depending from the breech bolt 17 to the left of the top of the breech stop element 50 as seen in Fig. 1. This breech catch 53 prevents the breech bolt from being moved. rearwardly to the right. By moving the button 51 downwardly the breech stop element 50 may be disengaged from the breech catch 53 while the firing pin stop element 43 continues to lock the firing pin 20 as shown in Fig. 4. It is thereby possible to unlock the breech bolt while the firing pin safety is engaged to permit the breech bolt to be manually operated to eject cartridges from the magazine.

When the riding surface 44 of the locking member 40 rests upon the plateau 47 of the trigger cam surface, the locking member 40 is in its extreme upward position with the firing pin stop element 43 engaging the firing pin catch portion 21 and the breech stop element 50 engaging the breech catch 53. In this position the firing pin 18 is in its rearward cocked position and the sear stop 32 is engaged in the sear catch 33. When the trigger 25 is displaced to the right against the force of the compression spring 26 the drop-off 48 of the trigger cam surface moves beneath the riding surface 44 and the locking member 40 falls into the depression 49 as shown in Fig. 2. In this position the firing pin stop element 43 is disengaged downwardly from the firing pin catch portion 21 and the breech stop element 50 is disengaged from the breech catch portion 53.

As the trigger is displaced in this manner, the locking member 40 is disengaged before the trip portion 28 contacts the sear bar 30. Further displacement of the trigger 25 actuates the sear mechanism and releases the sear stop 32 from the firing pin as described previously. The firing pin is then released and, since it and the breech bolt 17 are disengaged from the locking member 40, it is urged forward to fire the cartridge in the chamber. The firing pin 18 is then carried rearwardly by the breech bolt 17 and, upon operation of any formof disconnector, the sear stop 32 engages the sear catch 33 and holds the firing pin 18 again in rearward cocked position.

When the trigger 25 is moved forwardly by the force of the compression springs 26 after the shot has been fired, the locking member 40 is abutted by the drop-off 48 and the trigger is permitted to come forward only to the position shown in Fig. 2. Thus, the locking member 40 is not returned to the plateau 47 as seen in Fig. l and the stop elements do not re-engage the firing pin or breech bolt. In this position, the trigger may be locked by engaging the cross-bolt 35 in the halfgroove 36. The locking member 40 may be readily returned to the position shown in Fig. 1, however, by simply pushing upwardly on the button 51 with the thumb of the right hand so that the riding surface 44 clears the drop oif 48. Under the force of the spring 26, the trigger then moves forwardly from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 1.

Alternatively, the safety mechanism contemplated by the present invention may be constructed as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 to permit the firing pin and breech bolt to be re-engaged automatically by the locking member after each shot. This is done simply by modifying the cam surface on the trigger 25 so that, instead of a dropoff between the plateau and depression 71, a slope 72 is employed. Otherwise, the mechanism is as shown in Figs. 1-4. In the firing operation of this alternate embodiment the riding surface 44 of the locking member 40 slides down the slope 72 from the plateau 70 to free the firing pin and breach bolt. After the cartridge has fired and the trigger is returned forwardly under the force of the spring 26, the locking member 40 is carried up the slope 72 to the plateau 70 to automatically re-engage the firing pin and breech bolt. In Fig. 5, the locking member 40 is shown resting on the plateau 70 before the pistol is fired.

The breech stop element 50 may be moved vertically relative to the remainder of the locking member 40 in the same manner described in the previous embodiment to permit the breech bolt to be unlocked independently of the firing pin so that the breech bolt may be worked manually to eject cartridges fromthe chamber.

Means are also provided in the embodiment of Fig. 5 to prevent movement of the trigger to a full forward position thereby preventing the locking member 40 from in Fig. 6 by the springs 83 and 83.

ever engaging the firing pin 18. For this purpose an 25 thus interfering in no way with the operation of the trigger. However, by depressing the upper end 82' of the abutting element 82 upwardly against the frame 10 to the position shown in the dotted lines in Fig. 5, the upper end 82' is urged against the underside of a forward extension 84 on the trigger 25 by the springs 83 and 83'.

When'the trigger 25 is displaced rearwardly to fire the pistol, the forward extension 84 of the trigger 25 clears the upper end 82. of the abutting element 82 immediately after the locking member 40 disengages from the firing pin 18 but before the trigger has actuated the sear mechanism to fire the pistol. After clearing the forward extension 84 of the trigger '25, the abutting element 82 is snapped into the position-shown As a result, when the trigger 25 is moved forwardly by the spring 26 after the pistol has fired, the forward progress of the trigger is limited by the abutting element 82 such that the locking member 40 is not again displaced upwardly to engage the firing pin 18. However, by simply depressing the lower end of the abutting element 82 inwardly, it may be snapped into the position shown in the solid lines in Fig. and the trigger 25 may again be permitted to be moved to its full forward position.

It will be noted that the split cross-bolt 35 is employed in the embodiment of Figs. 5 and 6 also. Thus, the trigger may be locked in its forward position as shown in Fig. 5 by turning the cross-bolt 35 into the half-groove 37. Similarly, thertrigger may be locked in the position shown in Fig. 6 by turning the cross-bolt 35 into the half-groove 36.

I claim:

1. In a semi-automatic hammerless pistol having a breech bolt and firing pin slidably mounted relative to each other and spring-urged forwardly to firing position, a trigger, and a trigger-actuated sear mechanism adapted to hold said firing pin in a rearward cocked position and to selectively release it upon rearward displacement of said trigger to fire said pistol, a safety mechanism com,- prising a disengageable locking member separate from said sear mechanism for locking said firing pin in rearward cocked position and said breech bolt in forward firing position, manual selective means for independently unlocking said breech bolt Without unlocking said firing pin when said locking member is in locked position, said trigger having a cam surface formed thereon against which said locking member is spring-urged, said cam surface including a first effective portion which locates said locking member in locked position relative to said firing pin and breech bolt and a second effective portion which locates said locking member in unlocked position relative to said firing pin and breech bolt, said locking member being displaceable from said first to said second etfective portion when said trigger is displaced rearwardly, thereby automatically unlocking both the locked firing pin and the selectively locked breech bolt, said locking member being unlocked from said firing pin and said breech bolt by rearward displacement of said trigger before said sear mechanism releases said firing pin to fire the pistol.

2. In a semiautomatic hammerless pistol having a breech bolt and firing pin slidably mounted relative to each other and spring-urged forwardly to firing position, a trigger, and a trigger-actuated sear mechanism adapted to hold said firing pin in a rearward cocked position and to selectively release it upon rearward displacement of said trigger to fire said pistol, a safety mechanism comprising a slidably mounted locking member separate from said sear mechanism, said locking member including an integral firing pin stop element and a spring-mounted breech bolt stop element, said firing pin and said breech bolt having respective integral safety catch portions, said locking member being displaceable on itsslidable mounting to a locking position where said firing pin stop element and said breech bolt stop element engage and lock the firing pin and breech bolt safety catch portions respectively, manual selectivemeans for independently unlocking said spring-mounted breech bolt stop element from said breech bolt safety catch portion without unlocking said firing pin stop element from said firing pin safety catch portion'when said locking member is in locked position, said trigger having a cam surface formed thereon against which said locking member is springurged, said cam surface including a first effective portion which locates said locking member in locked position relative to said firing pin and breech bolt and a second effective portion which locates said locking member in unlocked position relative to said firing pin and breech bolt, said locking member being displaceable from said first to said second efiective portion when said trigger is displaced rearwardly, thereby automatically unlocking both the locked firing pin and the selectively locked breech bolt, said locking member being unlocked from said firing pin and said breech bolt by rearward displacement of said trigger before said sear mechanism releases said firing pin to fire the pistol.

3. In a semi-automatic hammerless pistol having a breech bolt and firing pin slidably mounted relative to each other and spring-urged forwardly to firing position, a trigger, and a trigger-actuated sear mechanism adapted to hold said firing pin in a rearward cocked position and to selectively release it upon rearward displacement of said trigger to fire said pistol, a safety mechanism com-, prising a slidably mounted locking member separate from said sear mechanism, said locking member including an integral firing pin stop element and a spring-mounted breech bolt stop element, said firing pin and said breech bolt having respective integral safety catch portions, said locking member being displaceable on its slid-able mounting to a locking position where said firing pin stop element and said breech bolt stop element engage and lock the firing pin and breech bolt safety catch portions re-- spectively, manual selective means for independently u-nlocking said spring-mounted breech bolt ,stop element from said breech bolt safety catch portion without unlocking said firing pin stop element from said firing pin safety catch portion when said locking member is in locked position, said trigger having a cam surface for-med thereon against which said locking member is springurged, said cam surface including a first efiective portion which locates said locking member in locked position relative to said firing pin and breech bolt and a second effective portion which locates said locking member in unlocked position relative to said firing pin and breech bolt, said locking member being displaceable from said first to said second effective portion when said trigger is displaced rearwardly, thereby automatically unlocking both the locked firing pin and the selectively locked breech bolt, said locking member being unlocked from said firing pin and said breech bolt by rearward displacement of said trigger before said sear mechanism releases said firing pin to fire the pistol, said cam surface preventing said locking member from being displaced automatically from said second to said first effective portion when said trigger returns forwardly after firing, said manual selective means for independently unlocking said breech bolt also being adapted to permit manual displacement of saidlocking member from said second to said first effective portion of said cam surface after firing to return said locking member to locked position.

4. In a semi-automatic hammerless pistol having a breech bolt and firing pin slidably mounted relative to each other and spring-urged forwardly to firing position, a trigger and a trigger-actuated sear mechanism adapted to hold said firing pin in a rearward cocked position and to selectively release it upon rearward displacement of said trigger to tire said pistol, a safety mechanism comprising a slidably mounted locking member separate from said sear mechanism, said locking member including an integral firing pin stop element and a spring-mounted breech bolt stop element, said firing pinandsaid breech bolt having respective integral safety catch portions, said locking member being displaceable on its slidable mounting to a locking position where said firing pin stop element and said breech bolt stop element engage and lock the firing pin and breech bolt safety catch portions respectively, manual selective means forindependently unlocking said spring-mounted breech bolt stop element from said breech bolt safety catch portion without unlocking said firing pin stop element from said firing pin safety catch portion when said locking member is in locked position, said trigger having a cam surface formed thereon against which said locking member is springurged, said cam surface including a first effective portion which locates said locking member in locked position relative to said firing pin and breech bolt and a second effective portion which locates said locking member in uniocked position relative to said firing pin and breech bolt, said locking member being displaceable from said first to said second effective portion when said trigger is displaced rearwardly, thereby automatically unlocking both the locked firing pin and the selectively locked breech bolt, said locking member being unlocked from said firing pin and said breech bolt by rearward displacement of said trigger before said sear mechanism releases said firing pin to fire the pistol, said cam surface permitting said locking member to be returned automatically from said second to said first effective portion when said trigger returns forwardly after firing.

5. In a semi-automatic hammerless pistol having a breech bolt and firing pin slidably mounted relative to each other and spring-urged forwardly to firing position, a trigger, and a trigger-actuated sear mechanism adapted to hold said firing pin in a rearward cocked position and to tegral firing pin stop element and a springanounted breech bolt stop element, said firing pin and said breech bolt having respective integral safety catch portions, said locking member being displaceable on its slidably mounting to a locking position where said firing pin stop element and said breech bolt stop element engage and lock the firing pin and breech bolt safety catch portions respectively, manual selective means for independently unlocking said spring mounted breech bolt stop element from said breech bolt safety catch portion without unlocking said firing pin stop element from said firing pin safety catch portion when said locking member is in locked position, said trigger having a cam surface formed thereon against which said locking member is spring-urged, said cam surface including a first efiective portion which locates said locking member in unlocked position relative to said .firing pin and breech bolt, said locking member being manually operated abutting means selectively displaceable into engagement with said trigger to prevent movement of said trigger to full forward position after firing and to prevent return of said locking member to locking position on said first effective portion of said cam surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 581,295 VonMannlicher Apr. 27, 1897 940,191 Rebman Nov. 16, 1909 2,125,350 Loomis Aug. 2, 1938 2,296,998 Koehler Sept. 29, 1942 2 ,382,410 Garand Aug. 14, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 116,841 Switzerland Sept. 16, 1926 172,409 Switzerland Dec. 17, 1934 

